Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Baghdad

UPDATED: Army recaptures govt buildings, hotel in northern Mosul’s Tel Kaif

 UPDATED: Army recaptures govt buildings, hotel in northern Mosul’s Tel Kaif

Iraqi rapid response forces ride in a military vehicle during a fight with Islamic State militants in Intisar district of eastern Mosul, Iraq, (Reuters)

Iraqi rapid response forces ride in a military vehicle during a fight with Islamic State militants in Intisar district of eastern Mosul, Iraq, (Reuters)
Nineveh (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi army forces recapture on Thursday government buildings and a hotel in the town of Tel Kaif in northern Mosul as a few regions remain to recapture the eastern section of the city from Islamic State militants.

A statement by the defense ministry’s War Media Cell and Nineveh operations commander Abdul-Amir Yarallah said forces invaded the town from several directions and became in control over the town’s municipality, court building and the Oberoi Hotel building.

On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said the basic military plan for Mosul’s liberation had been completed “in most combat axes” with the recapture of central Mosul, adding that operations continue to liberate the Ghabat and Presidential Palaces area besides “a few other regions” in the north of the city.

Commanders from the Iraqi army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Forces said in a press conference on the same day they had retaken all districts assigned to them in eastern Mosul, killing 3300 militants since operations launched in October 2016.

After getting finished with eastern Mosul, Iraqi generals plan to advance to the western region of the city beyond the Tigris River, where Islamic State still predominates a majority of territory.

The campaign to retake Mosul has entered its third month, with Iraqi government forces backed by U.S.-led international coalition fighter jets as well as popular militias.

IS militants have reportedly began retreating to their western Mosul strongholds.

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